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Video: Inmates Can Open Locked Cell Doors at County Jail With Plastic Spoons

Inmates in Jail Two at the Cuyahoga County Jail are able to open their locked cell doors with something as simple as a spoon or an empty bag of chips, video shows.

With staffing and violence concerns continuing to fester in the facility, the added twist of inmates being able to escape their cells is an added bonus that guards hardly need.

A county spokesperson told Fox 8 that, as a solution (yes, a solution), inmates are no longer allowed to have spoons in their cells. Additionally, the county says, the problem is being addressed and that maintenance only found one faulty lock during a recent inspection.

Which all seems well and good except for a couple of facts, as the intrepid Mr. Ed Gallek reports: 1) A recent document showed at least five inmates have unlocked their doors this way recently. 2) Management has been aware of the problem for awhile. 3) The union complained about the same issue in 2013. 4) Last week, after maintenance claimed to find only one faulty lock, the union filed another report listing the same problems. 5) We've heard it's not just spoons — that many doors can be opened simply by kicking them.

In a facility that guards say is understaffed, it's a significant safety concern. The union, for their part, would like to have their own experts come in to examine the locks.